Falcons Fans Deserve A Better Team Than This
By Thomas Willoughby
As Bradley Pinnion punted the ball away on 4th down in overtime, that familiar feeling of inevitability washed over me. I’d already started to pack up my things, knowing what was to come. The Atlanta Falcons, a side with an 84% probability of winning in Berlin, were going to lose. A game they’d led for so long was going to end up in the L column.
As I watched the Colts run the ball over a Falcons defense that’d been on the field for a total of 40 minutes and 26 seconds, I couldn’t help but notice plenty in black and white jerseys making their way to the exit. They knew, as I did, the Falcons were about to do what Falcons do. They were going to find a way to lose a game they should have won.
The amount of dejected faces I spotted between the press box and the media room (Berlin, I beg you to make your national stadium actually make sense), was…harrowing is probably the wrong word, but it feels right. I’m not gonna forget it in a while, that’s for sure. The Atlanta Falcons let us down again. And we all knew they would.
Everyone's here
I landed in Berlin on Friday night. This was the first time I’d left the country since 2019, and, while the NFL was my primary reason for attending, I think I’d be deeply unpopular if I’d left for a few days without actually taking in some culture. A hop on/hop off bus tour gave me access to the city. Conveniently, the big NFL events and activities were at stops I’d be getting off at. What a lovely coincidence.
Stop one, for me; the Brandenberg Gate. And that’s where I see my first piece of NFL merch. An Atlanta Falcons bobble hat. Interesting. The NFL hosted a Flag Football event at the Brandenburg Gate on the week of the game, so naturally that was a good meeting point for those planning to enjoy the weekend’s festivities. As I got closer, though, I started to pick up on accents and dialects I’d grown accustomed to over my 16 years of following this team. There are Atlantans here.
A bunch of teams with German marketing rights took over pubs (the Buccaneers took over a Kebab house!) this weekend. Despite that, the one team I kept seeing represented was the Atlanta Falcons. Granted, it was Saturday. People are gonna be in street clothes, or just kicking about the rest of the city. I did eventually spot a handful of Colts fans as I travelled from Victory Column to Checkpoint Charlie and through the political districts. But where there were Colts, there were also Dirty Birds.
The Falcon Invasion
I stopped at Potzdammer Platz, and popped into the NFL Europe shop, where they took far more money from me than I care to admit. I didn’t see many people buying up Colts merchandise. But I saw plenty wearing Falcons get-up, and buying even more. I walked over from Alexanderplatz to the Falcons pub around lunchtime to watch the (Manchester) United game, and obviously, Falcons representation got heavier as I got closer. But it didn’t seem equal. Not by a long shot. So I asked myself the question; are we actually massive?
Beluschi’s Rosa-Luxembourg-Straß was the Falcons pub for the weekend, and it was absolutely packed. Over the Saturday and the Sunday, I spoke to plenty of fans from across the globe here for this stupid team of ours. Be that a now-retired serviceman, who spends his time travelling across the UK and US watching sport. He is, unbelievably, an Atlanta Falcons season ticket holder, while living in the UK. That’s an unbelievable commitment to a team based 4000 miles away. I had a (very brief) interaction with Alesantoz, a German fan since 1995 who’s become something of a celebrity within the fanbase. He was named the Falcons International Fan of the Year in 2024.
On Sunday, the Falcons had planned a group trip to the stadium from the Falcons pub drew hundreds, if not thousands. Everyone was giddy. Everyone was ready for the day. No one was expecting a win. We all agreed we’d keep it close, but not even a half shout for a win was made. We’ve seen this team enough times to know that’s not what we do here. It’s not a cheap trip, Berlin. But the opportunity to see this team is still novel. Falcons packed out the U-Bahn to Olympiastadion. On the walk from the station to the stadion, the Falcons, again, visibly outnumbered the Colts contingent. Oh my God, we are genuinely massive.
Vorsprung durch Unterstützung
I’ll say that it didn’t sound that way inside the ground. It did feel a little but like the neutrals present had opted to back the home team this time around, drowning out the Falcons faithful a little. Imagine those early Wembley games, that was the sort of vibe they got. But they were loud. The Colts didn’t have the crowd their own way over the course of the game, and, hopefully, they won over a few in attendance.
The people of Atlanta get a lot of flack for how this team is supported in the states. It’s a hot and cold fanbase, they say. When they’re winning, they’re up there with the loudest and most passionate fanbases in the league. When they’re losing, the stadium empties. It doesn’t look good on TV, and, for a player, it’s got to suck to walk out to a stadium 65% full every week. That might be why the Falcons are taking this international stuff so seriously. Plenty of other teams have decided to flood themselves in the Global Marketing Rights program. The Falcons have chosen to focus on only Germany. While they’re obviously not operating to the same level that the Jaguars are in the UK, the Falcons put on enough fan events in Germany to suggest this is a serious endeavour.
The Atlanta Falcons are clearly aware of their overseas fanbase, and are striking while the iron’s hot. While in Berlin, I was told that the Atlanta Falcons would be returning to Germany in 2026, with Munich slated to host them. That would make them the first side to play back to back seasons in Germany.
On Field Issues
What they need is a team that’s worthy of its magnificent support. For too long the organisation has allowed itself to slide into competitive obscurity. The on-field product, quite frankly, stinks. On Sunday, the uglier side of Falcons football reared its head. Despite a legitimately impressive defensive performance (7 sacks, 2 turnovers, under 200 passing yards allowed), their offense, stacked with top 10 draft picks, repeatedly faltered. Bijan Robinson, arguably this team’s biggest star, has been quiet since his career day vs Buffalo. He was limited to 84 rushing yards. His rushing influence was overshadowed by Tyler Allgeier, who ran for 2 touchdowns, including a crucial one to regain the lead in the 4th quarter.
Kyle Pitts, the unicorn Tight End who was taken 4th overall in 2021, has been reduced to a decoy. 2 catches for 38 yards is very poor considering what was promised. Drake London was, again, magnificent, but he cut a frustrated figure post-game. And then there’s Michael Penix, making his 11th start. His up and down season has frustrated as much as it’s impressed, but Sunday was another tough outing for him. He ended the day 12/28 having started it 7/10. His second half performance was simply not good enough, and he knows it. Facing the press after, he repeatedly stated he needs to play better. But his demeanor was that of a man who’s doubting himself right now. He’s upset, and visibly so. We all are.
Could that be helped with better offensive playcalling? Two weeks ago, Raheem Morris said he had confidence in Zac Robinson’s ability to turn the offense around. I asked him what he’s seen over the past two games to maintain that confidence. The team’s point scoring production and redzone efficiency was cited as warranting it, but the Falcons more general play has regressed. They were 0/8 on third downs, have only converted 3 over the past 3 weeks, and controlled the ball for a paltry 26 minutes and 9 seconds. You might be able to erase some of that doubt by just being smarter.
We Deserve More
This is a team in desperate need of belief, but they only need to look to the stands to find it. The fanbase is so desperate for, and so deserving of, and team that truly gives back on the field what they give them off it. As the Falcons travel back to Atlanta ready for a 3 game stretch that can still save this season, they should do so knowing that their back is truly gotten. From Atlanta to Berlin, and every nation in between and beyond, the fanbase isn’t going anywhere. These fans deserve so much more than these Atlanta Falcons, and they have done for 60 years. It’s up to Raheem Morris and company to give it to them.
Features Image Credit: Martin Meissner – AP Photo
Thomas Willoughby
NFL ANALYST
THOMAS IS A WRITER, AND REGULAR GUEST ON THE TOUCHDOWN REVIEW SHOW PODCAST, FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. YOU CAN FIND HIM @WILLO290592 ON TWITTER